Middlesbrough played out a thrilling 2-2 Supercup Ni match against GPS Bayern from the USA at Clough in Ballymena on a beautiful summers day on Tuesday afternoon.
Middlesbrough were awarded a penalty inside two minutes as Sam Collin was brought down up stepped Isacc Fletcher but he fired it wildly over the crossbar.
Ten minutes in, the Teesiders created another good opportunity as Mckenzie Dicicco tried a fantastic overhead kick but the ball just rolled wide of the target.
The first chance for GPS Bayern arrived on eight minutes as Dylan Rice played a defence splitting pass into Hesselmeyer Donovan but his effort from just inside the penalty area lacked power and was well dealt with by Oliver Swan in the Boro goal.
Middlesbrough were playing some superb football passing and moving with pace and it was they who had the next chance as Terry Stephenson bombed down the wing his low cross found Harry Healy before his effort was superbly kept out by Alfonso De Vito in the GPS goal as he tipped the ball away from the target.
De Vito was called into action several minutes later when he made a smart save from Fletcher as he cut inside on his right foot before seeing his effort pushed away from danger. However it was the side from America who took the lead as Jose Hazim saw his low cross turned into the back of his own net by Middlesbrough left back Jonathan Krakue after the North East side failed to clear their lines.
Boro were then a whisker away from levelling the affair at the end of the half when the impressive Fletcher saw his free-kick whistle just over the crossbar. Hayden Hackney was putting in a good performance for the Riverside stadium club as he cut through the Bayern defence minutes into the second half but saw his shot beat away from goal by De Vito.
GPS were putting pressure on the young Boro defence as Donovan and Aiden Farwell were linking up well but they were both denied by Swan in quick succession. Middlesbrough then deservedly got back on level terms midway through the second half as Joseph Ridley took advantage of some poor GPS defending before he poked the loose ball through the legs of De Vito.
This saw a new-found confidence being brought about by the young Boro side and if it wasn’t for De Vito would have added their second on fifty-four minutes as Cain Skyes linked up with Andrew Nelson before the latter saw his effort hit the inside of the post.
However Middlesbrough did grab their second as Ridley was brought down by Andrew Rent and it was that man Ridley who took it and he confidently dispatched the ball high into the net with time running out.
Middlesbrough were left stunned as they thought they had done enough to see out the victory, they were dealt with a sucker punch as Dawson Malcom crossed in for the unmarked Ngobia Maiana and he was left with a simple task tapping into an empty net in the final minute.
Credit, Joshua Bunting @Distillerymad